How To Unfreeze The Unknown
by moviemuncher1
Summary: Rumple had Elsa locked up for hundreds of years but now that she is out, she wants revenge. She has a power that even Rumple can't understand. This is my first story. I hope you like it. I don't own any of the characters in Once Upon A Time. They belong to the creators and ABC.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

They couldn't be happier and with things finally settling back to normal, well normal for Storybrooke, Rumple and Belle were getting back into a routine of things. They had finished up their daily breakfast at Granny's. Belle was trying to get Rumple out more so others could start to see the softer side of him.

The private wedding ceremony was just enough for both of them. No big celebration necessary. Most people in town had overheard the news and those close to them offered congratulations. As they left the dinner hand-in-hand, Belle couldn't stop smiling and laughing as Rumple was telling her a joke. He seemed to be doing well since the events, almost healed. Except for the pain he felt for losing his son, but everyone knew that would take time.

They hit a point in their walk where the two would need to separate and go to their separate destinations. Belle leaned into Rumple and gave him a kiss. "I love you, husband." She giggled a little as she had when saying it the last few days.

"I love you, Dear...Wife!" He could never have imagined the love he had for her back when he first struck the deal for her. "See you for lunch."

Belle headed off to the library and Rumple went off to his shop. Belle hadn't spent much time in the library since the return to Storybrooke she had spent most of her time in the shop. She was trying to get it back in shape over the last few days. While Rumple was putting his shop back to how he liked it.

Belle had just finished putting a stack of books away and was going behind the front desk to do some paperwork when the front door opened and closed. A tall, blonde woman had entered wearing an icy-blue dress with a thin shiny cape that almost looked to be made out of ice. Gloves traveled half way up her arms.

"Hello, can I help you? The library isn't open yet."

The woman leaned against the counter looking around to see if anyone else was inside but no one was in view. "I am looking for someone...I thought maybe you could help me find him?"

"I hope I can help, do you know the person's name?" Belle shot the woman a friendly smile and tilted her head slightly.

"Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One, I am not sure what he goes by here. Do you know where he is?"

Belle knew that anyone looking for Rumple was more likely to be an unfriendly enemy than a kind old companion coming back to catchup on life. "I'm so sorry, but I don't know where he is. He goes by Rumplestiltskin around here...I'm sorry, who are you?" Belle didn't want to call on Rumple and bother him unless she had to. He wouldn't want her protecting him but after everything he had been through with Zelena, she felt he could use some protection. She had to be brave.

"I'm Elsa..." Belle noticed Elsa slipping off her gloves and that her hands were glowing. Belle had been around magic enough to know it when she saw it. She slowly started to back up "...and I don't believe your answer. Where is he!"

Within seconds Belle felt the temperature drop to below freezing. She was only wearing a knee-length skirt and a short sleeve shirt. The cold made moving a complete effort, but Belle turned and ran down an aisle of books just dodging an ice ball from the Snow Queen. It began to snow inside the library and Elsa was now chasing Belle. Running in-between rows and rows of books to try and gain some distance from her.

She was having trouble catching her breath because the cold air in the library was thinning. The burning in her lungs was almost unbearable. She had to stop. Belle turned a few more corners and then stopped behind a row of books to peer around the corner. She heard a strange crackling noise and noticed the entire floor was being covered in ice. She had to make it back to the front doors. Belle peeked back around the shelf she was hiding behind to find Elsa no more than 5 feet away. Belle took off but her feet slipped on the ice and she slid into a rolling cart full of books.

Before she could get up the Snow Queen was grabbing her brunette hair and pulling her up with it. Belle was shaking, not just from fear but the cold was taking it's toll and weakening her. It almost hurt to move.

Elsa held Belle from behind and let go of her hair and grabbed both arms behind her back. Elsa created hand cuffs completely out of ice and Belle couldn't move her arms no matter how hard she tried. Elsa then created a very sharp, jagged icicle and held it to Belle's throat.

"I saw the two of you walking this morning and laughing and kissing. To think the Dark One could ever find love...and to see the ring on your finger, he actually found a wife. So, what's your name...who is crazy enough to marry the Dark One?"

Belle was so cold she almost couldn't speak. "I...I...I'm Bel...Be"

"Her name is Belle. Now if you would please let go of my wife, Elsa, you may live to see summer."

He was standing across the room slowly approaching the women. Cane in hand as usual.

Rumple had stepped out of his shop to go and visit Neal's grave as he did every day, when he felt the sudden chill spread through the town. He knew something wasn't right since it shouldn't be this cold until winter in StoryBrooke. He just wished he had figured out what was happening before Belle had felt any pain.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Dark One himself. Come to rescue his love." Elsa made a small slice in Belle's neck causing a little blood to run down it and for Belle to scream out. "Stay back Rumplestiltskin!" Elsa demanded with such confidence in her voice.

Rumple stopped in his tracks. "Elsa please, it's me that you want, not her. Don't do something foolish. Just tell me what you want and we can work this out."

The snow in the library had picked up like a blizzard. "What I want...what I want is my sister back, you took her away from me. She was the only one that understood me and she is gone. Then, you lock me up in your vault for hundreds of years and for that I want you to feel a loneliness." Elsa made a bigger slit in Belle's neck but not cutting entirely.

"Aaaaahhhhhhhh!" Belle tried to be strong but the cold actually made the pain worse. It stung all over her, not just where Elsa was cutting.

At this Rumple held a sudden fireball in his hand prepared to throw if he had a shot but the winds of the blizzard took it out. He wasn't sure what to do, it took him years to figure out how to lock Elsa up the first time.

"Elsa, I didn't kill your sister..."

"I summoned you to save her, to bring her back to me and you refused."

"She was too far gone to save. She turned completely into ice and shattered. I can't bring back the dead. Even if you had summoned me sooner, I can't guarantee how long it would've taken to break the curse...the magic that you cast upon her heart."

Rumple was never more terrified or uncertain of what to do but he was trying to stay strong for Belle's sake. He had just lost Neal, he couldn't lose Belle too.

Elsa became furious and pushed Belle forward a step pressing her hand on Belle's back. "Let's see how quickly you can actually figure it out." Elsa released a burst of ice directly through Belle, knocking Belle over with it. Rumple raced forward reaching out to catch Belle. He was so close. Just before he could reach her, Elsa blew a gust of wind, knocking Belle back into Elsa's grasp. Rumple regained his balance and cast a spell in their direction that was meant to keep Elsa and Belle from being able to leave the library but before the spell could reach the women, another burst of snow picked up and once it died down and the wind stopped, they were gone.

Rumple didn't miss a beat. He was immediately focused on trying to find the trail that is always left when someone uses magic to travel. But that was part of the mystery of Elsa. Her magic was different, she was born with it and still seemed to not have complete control over it.

"NO!" He couldn't believe she was gone. The snow had stopped but a winter wonderland was left in the library, along with a very angry Dark One. How did he miss the signs that she was in town? How did she get to the town?

-to be continued


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks everyone for following/favoriting/reviewing. I will try not to let you all down.

I do not own any of these characters.

Chapter 2

Others have magic that they can reach deep down inside and learn once they realize their abilities. Just look at everyone Rumple had taught. Emma, Regina, and Cora. All 3 were born with the magic they have but it took work to unlock it. They had to really work and focus to bring out the magic. Zelena and Elsa were definitely different. Their magic was almost, in a sense, the main layer of who they were. It was always there, exploding out of them as babies. Rather than pulling at their magic to reach it, they had to work at ways to tame it, to control it. Zelena learned this quickly, it wasn't a magic fueled by the elements, but Elsa's was even more puzzling. In the past, when Rumple locked her up it was due to Elsa's lack of control and unpredictability. It seemed though with the attack on the library that she had somehow learned to focus the power better than before.

Rumple would stop at nothing to save his Belle. He knew he would probably need some help. He hated asking for help but knew he couldn't leave anything to chance with this situation. He watched as Elsa cast a frozen heart upon Belle. He watched her near ice-cold body nearly collapse in front of him. The second he realized what Elsa was doing it was as if his own heart froze.

He had made his way back to his shop where he called to meet with the select few that if he were to call anyone a friend, they would be the closest thing to that. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but if Belle considered them that way, he too would do the same. One by one they entered the shop, all of them breaking out their heavier coats since the chill had set in early in the morning. Regina, Emma, Prince Charming, Hook, and Robin Hood all received calls from Rumple that seemed very urgent. Snow stayed back to care for Prince Neal.

Regina was the first to speak up. "So, what mess is our little town in today? Who did you make a bad deal with, Rumple?"

He didn't respond to that remark. He knew that they had to work fast. It wasn't a coincidence that when Belle was struck in the heart he could feel it. Their true love was so strong, especially since the vows, that he was truly feeling the chills and the ache of her frozen heart. Even he couldn't explain how their love came to be that bonding but he was glad he could sense it because he was certain she was still alive.

"Belle is in danger." He stood in front of the group, all eyes were engaged in his story. They all loved Belle. Who wouldn't? She was so kind to everyone. "The Snow Queen is in Storybrooke. Which I am still trying to figure out how she got here." He shot Emma and Hook a look, not yet hearing every little detail of their time travel adventure, but guessing this might have been from their trip.

Emma noticed the look and in true Emma fashion spoke up. "Hey, if anything came back with us through that portal, it's Zelena's fault. Not ours." She glanced over at Regina while stating this as well, hoping the Evil Queen would be able to blame her sister for Marian being in town instead of Emma and Hook.

Things were complicated now for Regina and Robin since Marian's return, but they were trying to figure it all out. Marian is Roland's mother but Robin felt a sort of love for Regina that he didn't have with Marian. "What's done is done, so now we just have to work to fix it." Regina said back very calmly, she was trying not to be mad at Emma but to focus on her relationship.

"All I need to know is, were you in my vault?" Rumple decided to take control of the meeting so they didn't lose more time.

"Aye, Mate. You put us there since you didn't quite understand how to send us back here." Hook spoke.

"Somehow the container she was trapped in must've been pulled through with you." Rumple stated.

"You mean the vault where you placed things that you didn't understand or you knew you couldn't defeat or control? So they brought back something that even you can't control?" Regina had heard of the Dark One's vault but never had the privilege of seeing it. If the Dark One wanted something locked away then it was worth staying that way. "The Snow Queen as in Queen Elsa? Her story is a little before my time but I heard that she froze entire villages within minutes and that after the death of her sister she truly lost control of her powers and went on a violent rampage."

"Which is why her own village asked me to take care of the situation. I had met Elsa just before the rampage she went on that lasted for years, because even The Dark One can't just wave a finger at her and turn her into something that can be crushed. Before that, Elsa called upon me because Elsa blasted her sister's heart with ice, freezing it. She said it was an accident. After about a day, her sister had completely turned into ice, a statue, that shattered when Elsa let out another burst of ice from her hands over the anger at her sister's...situation. Shattered into a million pieces. I tried every spell I could think of to try and warm her sister's heart but nothing seemed to work."

"What price or deal was there for you to save her?" Charming had been curious knowing that Rumple never just helped someone.

"I had witnessed the power that Elsa had and the way her sister could keep Elsa calm and controlled so, in order to keep her power at bay, I was willing to let that be the deal." Rumple admitted.

"So, how did you stop her before?" Emma questioned. "Can't we just do it again?"

"Just like I couldn't unfreeze her sister's heart, i can't unfreeze things affected by her magic. These aren't spells that one creates and can teach to others, it's a power. I realized that no amount of heat or fire spell that I could produce would work, so instead of destroying her, I had to find a way to trap her. It took me a while but I was able to produce a container, similar to Pandora's Box that we trapped Pan in. I tricked her by making her think I could bring her sister back and lured her into the trap." Rumple felt for the first time that the group in front of him was actually believing him without doubting that he was telling the truth. So, this is what trust felt like.

"Can you build another container?" Charming asked.

"Not being in the Enchanted Forest, I don't know how long that would take. Right now though we have something more important to figure out. Elsa has Belle. She took her a little while ago." Rumple stopped, considering the look of worry on their faces already...but he decided to tell them everything. "Elsa blames me for the death of her sister, even though it was her own doing and she is very unhappy about being imprisoned for so long. She froze Belle's heart before taking her away. So our biggest concern now is finding Belle so I can try to reverse that problem."

At that moment, Rumple grabbed his chest and collapsed to one knee. The pain came quickly and in the same instance, it was gone. He couldn't tell if it was a sign that Belle was getting worse or if Elsa was torturing her.

Regina moved to her old mentor's side, "Are you okay?"

"Fine!" He pulled away from her assistance. He hated looking weak. He did skip over the part where he could feel the cold of Belle's frozen heart getting worse. That little piece of information was not something he wanted to share with the group just yet.

"Look Rumplestiltskin, we will do whatever we can to help get Belle back. God knows she has been there for us when we needed a hand or information on something." David had stepped forward along with Regina and offered a hand to help Rumplestiltskin up.

Rumple took the help this time.

"So, I am assuming we can thank our new town guest for the sudden temperature change as well then?" Hook said as he went to look out the shop window.

"Yes" Rumple replied.

"Well then, I guess we start searching for Belle, before it's too cold outside to do that." Emma gave one of her reassuring head-nods to Rumple. She wanted to help however she could, knowing he had helped in saving Henry from tight spots in the past.

"Or maybe we won't have to look very far!" Hook shouted to the group while stepping away from the shop windows. "Everyone get down."

With a heart pounding BOOM the group went flying into walls and counters of the shop. The windows shattered with a gust of wind. Snow started to blizzard inside. The front door burst open and there stood Elsa, looking very confident that she was in control.

"Well, hello everyone! Were you all discussing me? I feel like I should properly introduce myself since my dear friend Rumplestiltskin probably won't do it right." She took 2 steps forward and instantly Rumple and Regina had regained their footing and they were standing in the middle of the room. Magic ready to go from both of their hands. "I'm Elsa, The Snow Queen, is what I was called in our land. Since I was locked up for so long, I am not sure if any of you have heard of me."

"We've heard enough now." Robin said as he stood up and raised his bow and arrow.

Elsa gave a laugh as the wind in the shop picked up and a tornado of snow blew right in front of Elsa. When the tornado had disappeared, there in front of Elsa stood a very pale looking Belle. Elsa held Belle in front of her tightly. "Put down the magic and the arrow."

At this point the whole group was back on their feet with some minor cuts and bruises. Rumple looked over noticing that Robin was hesitating to lower the bow.

"Now is not the time to be a hero, Robin, lower your weapon." Rumple knew it would do no good to try and shoot her with an arrow and with the wind in the shop he couldn't risk the archer hitting Belle. He reached over to Regina's hand and lowered it as well. "Elsa, please, you said back at the library that I could try to fix Belle. How can I do that if you won't let me near her? I tried to help your sister let me try with my wife?"

The site of Belle shocked Rumple more than anything he had seen. Not only was she visibly cold, he saw the white streaks forming in her hair. He remembered his encounter with Elsa's sister and how her hair was completely white. He knew that time was not on his side.

David stepped next to Rumple. "Look, Queen, we have many others here in town just like you. They started out wanting vengeance or to do evil, some are even here in this room standing before you. We can all live together with no hard feelings about all of this if you would just let us heal Belle."

With that, Elsa used her free hand to summon a gust of snow that knocked David back, flying through the air, and slamming against the wall. Hook ran over to make sure he was okay.

"How dare you! How dare you compare me to anyone in this room." Elsa tightened her grip on Belle, making it hard for her to breath.

Emma stepped up just behind Rumple's shoulder. "Look, no one is comparing you to anyone here. He is trying to say it is a big misunderstanding. No need for anyone to get hurt. Killing Belle will not bring back your sister, or make the pain of her death any less."

Rumple knew that nothing anyone could say would change Elsa's mind. She was evil, a monster like he was. Only without her sister, there was no one to keep her grounded, no one to talk reason into her actions. He saw in front of him his biggest fear. This is the monster he could be, he would become if he lost Belle. She was his voice of reason, of truth.

Belle felt weak but she used this conversation between everyone to lock eyes with her husband as she mouthed the words to him. "Fire with fire." It took all the energy she had. Rumple nodded, but he didn't fully understand. She was beyond intelligent from all of the books she studied. She knew things even beyond his time from her studies.

While the two were having their quick, unnoticed conversation, Elsa responded to Emma. "No, you are right. But why am I the only one to suffer. I want Rumplestiltskin to feel the feelings that I am feeling for the eternity I am stuck feeling them." Elsa was stepping back toward the door. "Now, if you will excuse us."

"Elsa, WAIT!" Rumple couldn't just do nothing. He was the Dark One after all. He couldn't let her leave with Belle. Not twice. With the flick of a wrist he cast a protection barrier around the shop. Allowing no one in, or out. But he was unprepared for what to do next. Hoping to have more time to search for an answer as to how to stop her. "You can leave, Elsa, but not with her. I can't let you." Rumple took a very confident stance.

The blizzard like conditions picked up speed. While this was happening, Robin thought he had a shot. He pulled the bow and arrow back up. Knowing he probably couldn't come close to killing Elsa, but trying to get her to break her grip on Belle. He let go of the arrow. Elsa was very aware of this and turned very quickly so that the arrow would hit her hostage instead. It was as if it was in slow motion for Rumple as he dropped his concentration on the barrier spell in order to blast the arrow off course with another bit of magic. And just as it had happened in the library, Belle and Elsa were gone. A light snow stayed in the shop but the blizzard type winds were gone.

Rumple turned to the archer. "I am certain that you think you were helping, but when I say don't be a hero, I MEAN IT!"

Regina moved to position herself between the two, knowing the look on Rumple's face all too well. "Look, he was trying to help. No need for any of us to start taking out people on our own team."

"She's right Rumplestiltskin." David made his way over to the trio. "We are going to need all of us to figure this one out and keep the town safe while doing it." He addressed everyone in the room, "Is everyone ok?"

"Yeah, you ok?" Emma asked her father after seeing him fly through the air.

"Fine." He responded.

Rumple took in a few deep breaths, trying to detect the path in which they left, but again, nothing. How could she cover her tracks like that?

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Fight fire with fire. Belle had hoped it would be enough to help Rumple. She had read many books on the elements and they all led back to that saying. She couldn't see exactly how it would be the answer, but it had to give him somewhere to start.

When the wind and snow finally cleared, they were back in the chamber made of ice. Belle collapsed to the floor out of exhaustion and the fact that her legs were so numb she couldn't feel them any longer. Her arms were still bound behind her back with ice but she is certain at this point she wouldn't be able to move them either. Her captor stood over her, giving the most chilling stare Belle had ever received. "Pl-Please, let m-me go. I know you are ju-just mad about the death of your sister..."

Elsa knelt down to address Belle up close. "You have no idea what it is like to watch your sister shatter in front of you. I know he could've saved her. He saved so many others from far worse actions and HE let her die. He just won't admit to it and that is what hurts the most."

The ice chamber that they were in seemed very small to Belle. Like there was no where for her to hide from the angry Queen that seemed to be doing this for no other reason than she was evil. There was no reasoning with this woman, she could see that now. She realized that Elsa was so lost in the delusion that this was all Rumple's fault there was no bringing her out of it.

Belle had been in some tight spots before but never this afraid. If Rumple hadn't followed them to where they were hiding, then for some reason she felt he couldn't track them. Belle curled up in a little ball to try and stay as warm as possible, with as weak as she was feeling she knew she would have to make a break for it when the time was right.

"What do you want from him? Maybe I can help him get it for you." Belle was willing to try anything.

"Oh, you will help me get what I want. All I want is for him to watch you shatter into millions of beautiful pieces of ice. I could kill you now, but I want to see his face when it happens. Then, I can finish destroying this town." Elsa got up and walked out of the room.

"Rumplestiltskin, if you can hear me, please help." She let a tear fall from her cheek and it froze about half way down. More white strands appeared to take over her brown hair. There was no being brave this time. Just fear.

He felt it, the feeling that someone was calling upon him by name. But this was different. He couldn't tell, even with letting all of his magic take over his thinking, where in the hell it was coming from. He knew it had to be Belle, which made it all the worse. That she would be calling out for him and him not be able to find her. The instant Belle's hair was becoming more white, more frozen, he felt that same sharp pain in his chest. It only happened for an instant but he knew that for the woman on the other end, it was continuous. A never-ending cold she would be suffering with.

"Rumplestiltskin, are you coming?" Emma reached a hand to his shoulder. He seemed to be in a trance and she knew they didn't have too much time to waste.

"Yes, of course. Thank you." They shared a special bond after being forced to watch Neal die together. If anyone knew the way he was feeling, it was Emma.

They all exited the shop. They had decided they would go and search the town. Everyone took a few extra minutes to bundle up since the snow was picking up over the whole town. Except Rumple. He refused to wear more than his suit, seeing as Belle didn't have the luxury of proper clothing to stay warm. He didn't want her to be alone. Regina tried to talk sense into him but knew it was a losing battle.

"Okay, so Regina, Robin, and I will take the western side of the woods and the mines. Rumplestiltskin, Emma, and Hook take the Eastern side. Call immediately if you find anything useful." Charming was use to being in charge of these things but he glanced over at Rumple for approval. He received a nod back from the elder man.

"Belle mentioned 'fire with fire' while in the shop. I have been trying to think through it and am coming up a little empty." Rumple knew he had to bring it up to all of them before they split up. If Belle thought it was important then maybe they all needed to know.

"Like the saying 'Fight fire with fire' comes to mind." Emma chimed up.

"Maybe if you twist it around a little she is thinking maybe ice with ice?" Hook added.

Rumple couldn't believe how unfocused his mind was that he didn't think about it that way. Maybe others helping wasn't such a bad thing.

Regina thought it sounded promising. "Of course, Rumple, you said yourself that you have tried every fire spell and heat spell around and none of them worked. What if we hit her with her own magic?"

"Maybe I can try and construct some sort of ice arrow?" Robin still feeling bad about what happened in the shop and wanted to make up for it.

"Perhaps that could work." Rumple started to think and for the first time, he felt like he was getting a little control over the situation. "The only problem is that her magic will always be stronger than ours in this area since she was born to the ice. We will have to find a way to use her own powers against her...ok, let's start searching. We are losing time that Belle doesn't have."

As they walked along the paths that were slowly beginning to vanish by the snow, Robin was studying Regina for she seemed to be deep in thought and focused while trailing behind Prince Charming. "My Lady, is everything alright?"

"Just working out some things in my head to try and think of a freezing spell. My version of spells might not kill her, but they might buy us some time." She lifted her hand and shot at a nearby tree, creating frost on it but it only lasted for a few seconds. "It's a start."

On the other side of the woods, Rumple was working on the same thing, only his success was much faster. He looked very pleased with his work as he was able to freeze a huge tree in front of them and then blast it again, causing it to shatter.

"I never really played around with winter magic. Never had a need for it until now. Emma, care to give it a try?" Rumple looked at the savior, hoping that she was as quick of a study as he thought.

"Me? Um, I am still working on the basics but I guess as we look for Belle, it wouldn't hurt."

While they tended to the spells, Hook was trying his best to follow any remnants of a path. "What about back in town? How do we know they are even out here, Mate?"

"Elsa was always known for distancing herself from the people and places she was going to destroy. Solitude suited her very nicely. Back then when people heard of her tale, they would go on hunts for her. She made sure to keep up her truly evil appearance and gave them the show they wanted. Not only would she kill those that came looking for her, but the whole town would pay after that." Rumple stopped in his tracks. The pain in his chest had gotten worse. It lasted even longer this time.

"We can rest for a minute here if you want too? Are you okay?" Emma grabbed him by the arm before he fell over from the pain. Then, it was gone.

"Once Elsa froze Belle's heart, I felt it. As it grows worse for her, I can feel it too." Rumple finally revealed.

"So, are we taking a rest?" Hook doubled back to ask the two.

"No, if it's getting worse, we may not have as much time as I suspected. We have to keep going." Rumple took a second and pushed past the other two.

Emma and Hook gave each other a concerned look and followed him.

Belle felt the chill growing inside of her. It hurt to be this cold but she wasn't going to give up without a fight. Elsa had vanished from the cave for what had to have been 20 minutes. It was time for Belle to try and move. Elsa didn't tie her down to anything, probably not expecting her to be able to go anywhere. Belle rolled to her stomach and slid her knees under her chest. She lifted her torso so she was in a kneeling position and she pushed up to stand. She immediately leaned into the wall, knowing her legs were not going to move easily. She followed the wall slowly around the cave and made her way toward the opening of the ice cavern. Every step Belle stopped to look around and see where Elsa might be, but still to her luck, she was nowhere to be found. Belle continued on slowly, not exactly sure where she was. As she went ahead, the walls seemed to become more of mix of ice and stone and eventually even the ground under her was just stone as were the walls.

The parts where there were ice seemed to be glowing and Belle could see her way around. As she made it out of the icy section, it was pitch black. She moved slowly along, feeling that anything was better than being where Elsa could see her. Belle was still very weak and freezing from the inside. She leaned against the wall and took a moment to rest.

Regina was finally catching onto this whole ice thing. Within seconds now she was able to make a solid block of ice. She waved a hand over the block and let it burst in her hand. Once the block had shattered, Robin looked at what was left to see an arrow, made completely out of ice.

"Well done!" He smiled at the woman he loved.

"Thank you!" She smiled back.

He grabbed it and put it with his other arrows. "I don't know if it will help, but it's worth a shot. Can you make me more!"

Regina was already ahead of him. She produced 9 more arrows that he loaded into his bag. All of a sudden, the temperature took a turn for the worse and the wind had picked up around the group.

"So, what is this? Coming to find the girl or coming to hunt me?" Elsa appeared on the path directly in front of them, as if out of no where. She had her gloves off and sparks of ice were slowly radiating from them covering the ground with ice.

David drew his sword and held it at the ready. "Look, like we said before, just give us Belle and this can all end!"

Regina took the opening to try out her newly practiced magic. She sent a burst of ice flying toward Elsa. It hit Elsa in the chest and for the first time, she went flying back. Just a few steps back, but Regina knew it was more than the woman had ever really experienced in a fight. Elsa looked up at her, furious of the attack. Elsa charged past David, knocking him down in the process and headed right in front of Regina. Elsa sent a burst of air mixed with ice shards from both of her hands directly at the former Evil Queen. Regina tried to send her own burst back, but Elsa's was stronger and it knocked Regina into a nearby tree.

All of the sudden the burst of air stopped and Elsa let out a scream of pain. She reached over her shoulder and ripped out the ice arrow that was sticking from it. A small amount of what appeared to be blood seeped from the wound. It was nearly black but may have been a dark blue color. She looked around to see what happened.

Robin was standing with another arrow ready to go. David was standing further up the path but had recovered quickly from being knocked over. Elsa decided it was best to get out and regroup her thoughts. She brought a flurry of snow around her and with another snowy burst, she and the blizzard were gone and just a light snow fall had returned. The two men rushed over to Regina.

"Before either of you ask, I am fine. Just a few cuts that I can heal as we keep moving. Thanks for helping, Robin. Nice to see that we have something to show some of her weakness."

"I had better call the other group and let them know she was here." David pulled out his cellphone and reached Emma.

Emma finished the conversation as the other two awaited the story. Rumple was the first to ask. "Was Belle there? Did they see her?"

"Afraid not. It was just Elsa. They are all fine. Apparently, Regina made Robin some ice arrows and he was able to puncture her shoulder. Looks like Belle's theory was right." Emma slid the phone back in her pocket.

"If Elsa was fighting them and Belle was nowhere to be found, that means she left her unattended." Hook stated.

"Knowing Belle, she may have tried to make an escape if that is the case. We have to move, now." Rumple feared that if the fight was over then Elsa would return back to where she was keeping Belle. If Belle had made a move, Elsa would be angry.

Belle began to move again. She knew if the Queen was gone, it wouldn't be forever. She noticed a slight speck of white in front of her, way down the tunnel she was moving through. Daylight! She thought. Belle moved down the tunnel as best as she could. She saw the speck getting larger and now she could see that it really was the outside world. If she could get far enough away from the chamber, could Rumple sense her? It was definitely worth a shot. She felt a slight chill pick up in the hallway behind her. It was followed by a very loud scream.

The queen had returned and Belle could hear that she was angry. Belle moved faster now. Pushed by her adrenaline. Her legs still having trouble but Belle didn't care, she had been captive for too many years of her life and she wasn't going to stay any longer.

She felt the wind pick up behind her and almost start to bow her back. She was just near the entrance when she gave it a shot. "RUMPLESTILTSKIN!" At that moment, she was knocked over and pulled back into the cave by the wind and snow. She slid on the floor, rocks digging into her dry, chapped and exposed skin on her arms and legs. She was numb from the cold, but the pain while she slid back to the ice chamber was worse than almost anyone could've imagined. There, in the small room, hovering over Belle's torn up body was Elsa.

"Going somewhere? I'm very impressed."

"Let me go and die with the people I love, Elsa!" Belle was drained.

"No!" Elsa laughed as she watched Belle's hair completely turn white. "I will be taking you soon enough. It won't be long now."

The pain in his heart was intense, but he pushed through it. Knowing he had to keep moving. The same instant as that was happening, Rumple finally could sense where the person calling him was coming from. Or at least he knew he could get close to it. "Belle!" They were heading in the right direction. Rumple stopped the group and grabbed both Hook and Emma by their shoulders. "Time to move faster." In a cloud of purple smoke, they were transported to the opening of a cave. He knew by the huge temperature drop that they were very close now. This is where his name was called. Belle must be in this cave.

Hook looked over at Rumple. "Well, do we barge in like a group of unorganized pirates? Or should we plan this out?"

"Call the others. I left a trail so Regina should be able to find us." Rumple was trying to assess the situation. He couldn't make a mistake.

To be continued


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

By the time Emma had put her phone back in her pocket, the other three had arrived. They all looked to Rumple for the next step of the plan. "I think we should split up again. A few of us should stay out here incase something..." Rumple was cut off by a loud shrill coming from the cave.

"Aaaahhhhh" it was Belle's voice. He knew it.

Rumple turned to stare at the cavern. "BELLE!" Just then he felt the pain in his chest again but he pushed through it and went toward the entrance of the cave. Just as Rumple reached the entrance a burst of icy cold air exploded from the cavern, sending the group flying back. They were all thrown in different directions, just like in the shop earlier that day.

As they all made their way back to their feet, Rumple looked back to the entrance of the cave. There Elsa stood with a proud look on her face from knowing she had so much power. "Well, I see you all have made it for the final show!"

Rumple was at the front of the group and he lifted his hand and sent a blast of ice at Elsa. She responded with her own blast back before his reached her. They were in a stand off of power. The two blasts meeting in the middle. Regina stepped up next to Rumple and added all that she had, shifting the blast in their favor. Another scream came from the cave behind Elsa, causing Rumple to be caught off guard and slip a little in his concentration. Elsa gained the upper hand and took the opportunity to send everything she had. Her power stream was so close to Rumple and Regina when Emma decided it was now or never. One of those moments where she hoped she would get lucky and her magic would come out like self defense. She stood on the opposite side of Rumple and sent her own icy spell at Elsa's. The power shifted back in their favor. The stream of ice magic was getting closer and closer to Elsa. Rumple had never seen a look of worry from the white haired woman before, but he could see it now.

"I have to get to Belle. I can feel it, she is running out of time." Rumple shouted to the group. Another scream of pain came from the cavern that Elsa was blocking. But this time instead of throwing Rumple off guard, it gave him the extra push that he needed. With one more burst of energy the 3 heroes' stream of magic connected with Elsa. Sending her flying back into a rock solid wall of the cave entrance.

Rumple didn't miss a beat. He used a quick spell on his ankle so he could run to her. Scoop her up and give her true love's kiss. It had to be enough, it just had to. It was one of the few things he couldn't use to help Elsa's sister and he didn't really know how to harness the power back then either.

Within seconds, he was off. Using a ball of light magic to light his way down the cave.

Elsa stood back up but was greeted by an ice arrow in her face. "I wouldn't think about moving if I were you." Robin said with confidence. Regina was ready with another spell to back up her lover.

This is what Elsa had been waiting for all these years and she wasn't going to miss the look on her captor's face when he lost his true love. So, with another one of her famous disappearing acts, she created a white out wall of snow and when it died down, she was gone.

"I really wish she would stop doing that." Hook remarked.

"We need to help Rumplestiltskin." David noted. "Hook, Emma, and Regina can wait out here in case we need back up as we are escaping. Robin and I can see if we can assist Rumplestiltskin."

"I would love to help in there." Regina stepped forward.

"In case something goes wrong in there, we need someone strong out here to stop her from going after the town." Robin added, knowing what David was thinking when he selected the teams.

"Well, let's not stand around here all day, get in there." Hook shoved the two toward the cavern then backed off to wait with Emma and Regina.

David and Robin ran into the cave.

Rumple felt like it was taking forever to find Belle. He noticed the temperature beginning to fall as the cave walls around him started to almost glow. They were like ice. He slowed his pace as even the floor became slippery. He was getting closer, he knew it. Then, he saw the opening. He turned the corner and couldn't believe his eyes. How could it be. Elsa had already made it to the small room and she was standing over Belle. He was too late. He saw as the last little bit of her turned into ice. From head to toe, her body was on the floor, completely...frozen.

Elsa had one hand pointed at Belle as if she was going to send magic at her to shatter her. "Just in time. There's the look of despair I was hoping for." Elsa laughed a little with pure evil. Even as the dark one, Rumple was never this way.

"What have you done?" Strangely the pain in his chest had disappeared. He would give anything to still feel it.

Elsa's hand began to glow. Rumple knew Elsa's next step so he sent an ice ball directly at her hand. He had to be careful in the small room not to hit Belle. Elsa staggered back and grasped her hand. "That actually hurt!"

She charged up both hands and aimed them at Rumple this time. Just as before they were in a struggle for power, only this time Rumple's blast was filled with more rage. Elsa started to feel like she might lose and she looked down at Belle and took one of her hands out of the fight. She pointed it at Belle and Rumple panicked.

Just then, as if in slow motion, he saw an ice arrow land right in Elsa's hand that was pointed at Belle. Causing her to lose focus on the hand firing at Rumple. He took the opportunity to send a strong burst of ice at her. She flew into the wall and slid down.

Just as Rumple would normally make his dagger materialize, he created a dagger out of ice. He walked over to Elsa and stood over her. "I think you have been using magic without paying the price for far too long, Dearie." He lifted the dagger into the air...

"Rumplestiltskin, WAIT!" David's voice rang out as he entered the room with Robin. "Think about how Belle would want you to handle this!"

"I will handle this, just as I handled the last problem that came to town and hurt my family!" Rumple plunged the dagger into Elsa's heart. He leaned down and whispered to her. "How does it feel to have your heart frozen?"

She looked up at him, and a small smirk formed on her face. "You are strong, but still not as strong as me. Your practiced magic can't defeat me. I have been playing with winter magic since birth." She pulled the dagger out of her chest and laughed as she disappeared while clutching the wound.

In his rage of emotion, he forgot what he himself had told the others. He would need to use her own magic to kill her. Not their version of it.

Then it hit him..."Belle!" He turned around and ran to her frozen form. He knelt down and scooped up the ice statue. "I'm so sorry." He whispered to her. He kissed the icy lips but nothing came of it. No magical burst of warmth. How else could he use true love? He looked to David.

David could see the desperate look from Rumplestiltskin, the man that once came to him for love advise. Now, David had no tips or advise. If the kiss didn't work, what would. "I'm so sorry Rumplestiltskin. I'm sorry." He laid a hand on the elder man's shoulder.

"Leave us, please. Go find Elsa. She may be heading for the town."

"How do we beat her?" Robin asked before they left.

"Remember, it will have to be with her own magic. That's the only thing strong enough. Freeze her heart." Rumple spoke but it was as if he was in his own world. "Regina will think of something."

The two men left, making their way back to the group. Rumple sat holding Belle in his arms. Talking to himself and her. "No, you can't be gone. There has to be something I can do? I'm so, so sorry for everything. There is so much that I should've told you, been honest about. The dagger I gave you was a fake. I switched it not because I didn't trust you, but I didn't want others to attack you to get it from you. I used the real dagger to kill Zelena. And now, again, I just tried to kill Elsa. Oh Belle, how will I ever be able to control this without you? I need you. I love you." As he professed his love and bared his soul, Rumplestiltskin began to cry. His tears falling onto the frozen form. As he opened his eyes, he looked down at Belle, ready to get up and move her back to a safe place when he noticed a glow from where the tears were falling.

Slowly, the icy form melted away revealing the trembling, defeated looking Belle. All of the scrapes, cuts, and bruises remained. Was still wearing just a short sleeved top and a skirt. Without even thinking or caring about himself, Rumple laid her down and took off his suit jacket. He laid it around her and then scooped her up again holding her as tightly as he could. Her hair was slowly returning to it's true color.

"Belle" he whispered while starring into her eyes. Rumple didn't want to look away because he feared she would disappear if he did. "I'm so...so sorry. I..." Tears escaped his eyes.

"I love you. It's okay." She closed her eyes to try and keep the tears from coming out and freezing to her cheek again.

Rumple knew she wasn't completely healed and he had to get her home to warm her. He stood up still holding her in his arms. He had wondered if she heard everything he said while she was frozen, but what surprised him the most is that he hoped she did. He knew he had to start trusting the others more and completely letting his wife in. He looked down at her and as she looked up at him their eyes met. He kissed her as if it was their first and last kiss all at the same time. He didn't want to stop but he could feel her shaking again.

In a cloud of purple smoke, he transported them back to their house.

David and Robin made their way back out of the cave. "Is she out here?" David yelled to the group they had left as backups.

Regina looked puzzled, "No, what happened?"

Robin was quick to respond. "We have to get to the town, she may be on her way there."

Emma looked at her father. "Where are Belle and Rumplestiltskin?"

Tears formed in David's eyes and he shook his head. "He was too late. We were too late."

Hook looked down at the ground.

Regina stepped forward toward the men. "What do you mean? It should've been fixed with an act of true love!" She felt horrible for her former teacher. To finally find true love, someone that saw the good in him and have that taken away.

Robin gave her a hug. "She was completely turned to ice when we got in there."

A loud crashing noise coming from the town snapped them all back to the urgent matter at hand.

"Looks like we better go and teach that ice witch a lesson before she hurts anyone else." Hook looked to the group and they all agreed. Even though he had tried to kill Belle in the past, he had felt bad for his previous actions and wanted no harm to come to her.

"Agreed!" With a wave of Regina's hand and a cloud of smoke, they were transported back to Storybrooke right in the middle of town.

Once they arrived they could see buildings were beginning to freeze over. David reminded them, "Rumplestiltskin said we will have to use her own power against her but it will have to be her own, not our replicated versions."

"So we just need to create something to bounce it back at her" Emma added.

Regina knew exactly what to do. Within seconds she had created ice shields for all of them.

An evil laugh echoed through the streets. "Come to defend your little town? I have frozen entire villages within minutes." Elsa appeared out of a tornado made of snow. "Well, I guess you all can be the first victims.

Back at Rumple and Belle's house Rumple was surveying the damage to Belle and working to heal every little scratch. He had laid her in their bed after completely healing her but she was still physically and mentally drained and she still couldn't get warm no matter how hard he tried to warm her.

"You have to..go..help them." Belle said. "I am..not going..anywhere and..I am..fine."

"I don't want to leave your side ever again. But they did risk their lives to help me save you so if you are sure you are alright?" He couldn't stop looking at her even when she was bloody and bruised a few moments ago, she was still beautiful.

"They need your..help." Her teeth chattered in between words. "If you don't help, we will all die."

"I love you!" He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I will be back shortly."

"I love you too, Husband."

Then he vanished to join the fight.

He arrived just as Elsa was firing off the first blast at the group. None of them budged. They all ducked behind their shields letting her blast bounce off. Rumplestiltskin had appeared behind Elsa and threw a blast of ice right at the back of her head. Elsa was annoyed by this and she turned around to see what had happened.

"Well, well, well, welcome Rumplestiltskin. All by yourself, I am guessing you didn't find the answer to unfreezing a heart?" Elsa laughed. She was just pure evil.

"Oh no, quite the opposite dearie! But it's something that you will never be able to master in your lifetime." Rumple saw her hands charging. She was upset that her plan failed and she threw a blast at him. Rumple quickly fashioned his own shield of ice and her magic reflected off of it but didn't bounce directly back at her.

She continued to blast toward him in a stream of ice. Rumple nodded to the others and Emma picked up on what he was trying to do. Emma ran to the spot where the stream was bouncing to from his shield and she used her shield to deflect it again. It still wasn't the right angle and Hook picked up on Emma's nod as well and jumped in. This completed the circle and the stream was heading back at Elsa, hitting her directly in the chest. She was blasting so hard that she couldn't stop. The stream continued to hit her until she let out a scream when it became unbearable.

Within seconds Elsa had turned completely into an ice statue.

Robin quickly loaded an arrow into his bow and shot it at the icy figure. Elsa shattered into a million pieces, just like her sister. The snow immediately stopped.

They all watched as the town slowly began to melt. David walked over to Rumple. "Wait, so Belle is ok? But the kiss wasn't working when we left!"

"Let's just say that tears of love can be just as strong and melt a frozen heart." Rumple grabbed David's shoulder and David brought him in for a hug.

"Glad to hear she is ok." Emma said.

"That girl has been through a lot in her lifetime. She's tough." Regina added giving a nod in Rumple's direction.

"Well, things are finally warming back up around here. Join me for a drink, Love?" Hook wrapped his arm around Emma's shoulder.

"Why not. Rumple, let us know when we can come by and visit Belle?" Emma asked the elder man.

"Of course. Now if you will all excuse me, I am going to check on my wife." Rumple was getting ready to leave when David called out to him.

"Rumplestiltskin, about what you said in the cavern, about taking care of Zelena? Did you have something to do with her death?" David asked so the group couldn't hear as they were walking away.

He didn't want to hide things from them anymore. "Yes." He said while looking David in the eye. "She killed my son, she locked me up, and she tried to use your baby for her evil plan. I did what had to be done."

"It's ok, I'm not here to tell you that I think what you did was right, but thank you for doing it for the reasons you did. I will let you tell everyone in your own time. Now go to your wife." David gave Rumple a brotherly pat on the back.

Rumple appeared by the bedside and found Belle sleeping. Curled up in a little ball. She looked like she was warming up. Rumplestiltskin changed his clothes since his were soaked from all of the snow. He climbed into the bed and under the covers with Belle. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. She opened her eyes just enough to roll over and look at him.

"Hi!" She whispered.

"Hello my Darling." He smiled at her.

"Rumple, I heard what you said in the cavern. I don't know how, but I did." She kissed him on his forehead. "It's alright. I understand that if I had the dagger someone could've attacked me for it to control you and I always had a feeling you killed Zelena but I figured you would tell me when the time was right. She killed your son and held you captive and made you hurt people that you loved. I don't care though...i..."

"Belle, in that cave, when I thought I had lost you, I saw the power of love and trust and how trust can make that love stronger. I never want you to question that trust again."

"Thank you for saving me. Thank you for finding me." Belle began to cry. "I have never been more afraid that I would lose you than I was today."

Rumple held her even tighter. "I will always find you."

The End

That's it. I hope you all liked my first story.


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